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Cambridge IELTS 21 Listening Test 1

Take Book 21 Test 1 online with the audio, free. Then see where real students lost their marks, part by part, and the traps that caught them.

There are no answers on this page, so you can read it before you take the test.

Take the full test free, with audio See where students lose marks
  • Questions40
  • Parts4
  • DifficultyMedium, with a hard Part 3
  • Average score25 / 40 · Band 6.0

Cambridge 21 Listening Test 1 at a glance

Part 1 is a friendly phone call, and Part 2 mostly rewards listening for what the speaker rules out. Part 3 is where the marks go: its matching set holds two of the three hardest questions in the test.

PartSituationQuestion typeQuestionsAvg. correct
1Phone call to a sailing clubTable and note completionONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER1–107.5of 10
2Podcast: becoming a film makeup artistMultiple choiceA, B or CMatching: duty to abilityLetters A–C11–206.8of 10
3Two students review a lecture and six resourcesChoose TWO (two sets)Letters A–EMatching: resource to opinionLetters A–H21–304.9of 10
4Lecture: where rubber comes fromNote completionONE WORD ONLY31–405.8of 10

How students did on this test

These figures come from complete attempts on IELTSNexa up to 2026-10-22, not from the book. The average was 25 out of 40, which is Band 6.0. Part 3 has the lowest average by a clear margin, and Part 4 is the second lowest.

  • 25/40Average score
  • 6.0Average band
  • Part 3Hardest part
Part 17.5
Part 26.8
Part 34.9
Part 45.8
Average correct answers per part, out of 10

Source: IELTSNexa student attempts, up to 2026-10-22

Part by part: what it is about and where marks go

For each part: what the recording is about, the question types, and how many students got each question right. Tap a bar for the details. The recordings, question papers and answers are only inside the test.

Part 1

Phone call to a sailing club

Questions 1–10 · Average 7.5 of 10

A man phones a sailing club to ask about courses for complete beginners. The receptionist compares a one-day taster with a two-day Level 1 course: group size, what is taught, the price and what is included. Then she covers what to bring and how he can prepare.

% of students who got each question right
Table and note completion 75% This test · 67% All Cambridge tests

Question 7Table and note completion · ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER

64% got it right

The hardest question in Part 1. 3 points below the average for gap-fill questions.

  • This test
  • Under 50% correct
  • Average for this question type across all Cambridge tests on IELTSNexa
Watch for

Check which column of the table each gap sits in before the recording starts. Numbers come with a near miss: the usual group size is said just before the limit the table asks for. Several answers are everyday objects, so the marks go on spelling and on singular versus plural: if the note implies more than one, write more than one.

Practise Part 1 only →
Part 2

Podcast: becoming a film makeup artist

Questions 11–20 · Average 6.8 of 10

An experienced film makeup artist gives advice on a podcast to people who want to start as makeup trainees. She covers where to find a first job, what working on set is like, and what to carry and keep a record of. Then she describes four everyday duties and the quality each one needs.

% of students who got each question right
Multiple choice 64% This test · 64% All Cambridge tests
Matching: duty to ability 74% This test · 63% All Cambridge tests

Question 13Multiple choice · A, B or C

44% got it right

The hardest question in Part 2. 20 points below the average for multiple-choice questions.

  • This test
  • Under 50% correct
  • Average for this question type across all Cambridge tests on IELTSNexa
Watch for

Most multiple-choice questions have an option she mentions and then rules out: something you should not expect, or do not need. Listen for the negative (“very unlikely”, “won’t need”, “don’t expect”) and cross that option off. In the matching set three abilities cover four duties, so one letter is used twice.

Practise Part 2 only →
Part 3

Two students review a lecture and six resources

Questions 21–30 · Average 4.9 of 10

Two marine biology students discuss a visiting speaker’s lecture on ocean biodiversity: which features of the talk and of her research project impressed them. Then they give their opinion of six resources for a seminar, from articles and podcasts to a documentary and a book.

% of students who got each question right
Choose TWO (two sets) 63% This test · 67% All Cambridge tests
Matching: resource to opinion 40% This test · 63% All Cambridge tests

Question 30Matching: resource to opinion · Letters A–H

28% got it right

The hardest question in Part 3. 35 points below the average for matching questions.

Why people miss it →
  • This test
  • Under 50% correct
  • Average for this question type across all Cambridge tests on IELTSNexa
Watch for

In the choose-two sets, several options are mentioned and then played down: something that is only national, something that is no longer unusual, figures the speaker did not dwell on. In the matching set there are eight opinions for six resources, and the students rarely use the box’s words. They describe how they reacted, and you decide what that says about the resource.

Practise Part 3 only →
Part 4

Lecture: where rubber comes from

Questions 31–40 · Average 5.8 of 10

A science lecture on rubber: why modern industry depends on it, why the supply of natural rubber from trees is under pressure, and why rubber made in factories cannot replace it everywhere. It ends with an unlikely plant that may become a new source.

% of students who got each question right
Note completion 58% This test · 67% All Cambridge tests

Question 34Note completion · ONE WORD ONLY

30% got it right

The hardest question in Part 4. 37 points below the average for gap-fill questions.

Why people miss it →
  • This test
  • Under 50% correct
  • Average for this question type across all Cambridge tests on IELTSNexa
Watch for

The notes follow the lecture closely, but several gaps come right after a list (what a tree needs, the problems growers face), and only one item fits. Check the form each gap needs: some take a plural noun, and if the note already says “less” or “more”, the gap takes the plain adjective, not one ending in “-er”.

Practise Part 4 only →

The 3 questions most students miss, and the traps behind them

Ranked by how few students got them right. Each note explains how the question catches people without giving away the answer, so you can still use it as practice.

1Question 30Part 328% got it right

The students open by calling this podcast interesting, which pulls people towards a positive opinion. Their real verdict comes straight after, with “though”, and is then backed up by what the podcast covered and what it left out. Its talk of benefits for people makes an option about improving the situation tempting, and a quarter of students chose it.

The trap

Praise first, verdict second

Speakers often open with something polite or positive, then give their real opinion after “though”, “but” or “mind you”. Matching questions test the verdict, not the opener, so keep listening after the first adjective.

On IELTSNexa Learn: Level 27, “কে কী বলল” (trap #23) (in Bangla) →
2Question 34Part 430% got it right

The lecturer first explains what the tree needs and where it cannot grow, and the answer comes once he has ruled out the north and south of the globe. About four in ten of the wrong answers were the right word, misspelled: it is a word students know by sound far better than on paper.

The trap

Spelling counts

A misspelled answer scores zero, even when you heard the word perfectly. Geography and science words you know only by sound are the usual victims, so practise writing them, not just recognising them.

On this test, about 1 in 15 wrong written answers was the right word, misspelled.

On IELTSNexa Learn: Level 6, “মিনি IELTS চ্যালেঞ্জ” (trap #5) (in Bangla) →
3Question 29Part 332% got it right

The students never say what kind of article this is. They say what happened when they read it: it was beyond them, they knew nothing about the topic, and one gave up after the first chapter. Many people heard that as criticism and chose an opinion about the article’s quality or its evidence. Ask what their reaction tells you about the article before you match it.

The trap

The opinion is paraphrased

Speakers rarely use the words in the box. They describe their reaction (“I couldn’t follow it”, “I gave up”), and you have to turn that into what it says about the thing they are discussing. An option that repeats a word you heard is usually not the one.

On IELTSNexa Learn: Level 21, “শুনে paraphrase ধরা” (trap #18) (in Bangla) →

Learn to beat these traps

IELTSNexa Learn teaches 61 exam traps in short lessons with audio, one trap in each lesson. Start free, no account needed for the first lessons.

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Explanation cards

Understand the reasoning behind every question

A score tells you what you got wrong. IELTSNexa shows you why. After you submit, each question opens an explanation card that takes you to the exact moment in the recording, explains why the answer is right, and shows the reasoning that made the wrong answer feel right.

  • The exact line in the recording, with the timestamp
  • Why the right answer is right
  • Why the trap answer was tempting
Start Cambridge 21 Test 1

Explanation cards come with an IELTSNexa pass. The test, your score and the answer key are free.

Words students misspelled on this test

On this test, about 1 in 15 wrong written answers was the right word, misspelled. The student heard it and still lost the mark. Here are some of the words behind them.

  • fungus

    Written asfungasfungesfangusfungues

    f-u-n-g-u-s: “-us” at the end, like “bus”.

  • dictionary

    Written asdictonarydictionerydectionarydicsonary

    dic-tion-ary: keep the “tion” in the middle.

  • certificate

    Written ascerificatecertifcatecertificatcirtificate

    Starts with “cer”, not “cir” or “ser”, and ends in “-ate”.

  • towel

    Written astaweltowltowertrowel

    t-o-w-e-l: “ow” then “el”.

  • cafe

    Written ascafeecaffe

    Four letters, one f, one e.

  • recycle

    Written asrecylerecycale

    re-cy-cle: the “cy” stays, and it ends in “-cle”.

Useful vocabulary from this test

Words and phrases you will hear in the recordings, with our own explanations and example sentences.

WordMeaning and example
taster daynouna short first session that lets you try an activity before you commit to itThe gym offers a free taster day for new members.
dinghynouna small open boat, often used for learning to sailTwo beginners shared each dinghy with an instructor.
harbournouna sheltered area of water where boats can stay safelyThe fishing boats return to the harbour at dawn.
cateringnounproviding food and drink for people at an event or a workplaceThe conference fee includes catering for both days.
portfolionouna collection of examples of your work, shown to people who might hire youShe updated her design portfolio before the interview.
extrasnounpeople in a film who appear in the background, for example in a crowd, without speakingHundreds of extras were hired for the market scene.
continuitynounin filming, making sure details look the same from one shot to the nextA continuity error left the actor’s coat open in one shot and closed in the next.
biodiversitynounthe variety of plant and animal life in a placeCoral reefs are famous for their rich biodiversity.
invasiveadjectivedescribes a species that spreads into a new area and harms the plants and animals already thereInvasive plants can push out the native ones within a few years.
plantationnouna large farm where one crop, such as tea or rubber, is grownThe tea plantation stretches across the hills.
labour-intensiveadjectiveneeding a lot of people’s work rather than machinesPicking tea by hand is hard, labour-intensive work.
syntheticadjectivemade by people from chemicals, not taken from natureMost sports clothing is made from synthetic fibres.

From raw score to band

Each correct answer is one mark out of 40. This is the conversion IELTSNexa uses to score this test. You can also try the band score calculator.

Correct answersBand
39–409.0
37–388.5
35–368.0
33–347.5
30–327.0
27–296.5
23–266.0Average on this test
20–225.5
16–195.0
13–154.5
10–124.0

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Frequently asked questions

Is Cambridge 21 Listening Test 1 hard?
It is a medium test with a hard Part 3. Across the full attempts on IELTSNexa, students averaged about 25 out of 40. Two of the three questions fewest people get right are in the Part 3 matching set.
Can I take Cambridge 21 Listening Test 1 online with audio?
Yes. IELTSNexa runs the full test free in a computer-delivered layout, with the audio, the timer and automatic scoring. You need a free account so your score and answers are saved.
Where can I find the answers for Cambridge 21 Listening Test 1?
We do not publish the answer key on this page, so it cannot spoil the test. After you submit on IELTSNexa you see your score and the answer key straight away. Detailed explanation cards, which show why each answer is right and where it is in the recording, come with an IELTSNexa pass.
How long does Cambridge 21 Listening Test 1 take?
About 30 minutes of audio for 40 questions in four parts, with short reading pauses before each section. You can also practise one part at a time.
What band is 25 out of 40 in IELTS Listening?
25 correct answers is Band 6.0 on the Listening conversion table. Band 7.0 needs 30 correct, and Band 8.0 needs 35.
Is Cambridge 21 Listening the same for Academic and General Training?
Yes. Academic and General Training candidates take the same Listening test, so this test is good practice for both.

More Listening practice

Last updated 2026-10-22. IELTSNexa is not affiliated with Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Cambridge IELTS 21 is their publication; this page is our own independent analysis.